EU Grants €3 Million to Boost Lagoon Transport in Côte d’Ivoire’s Abidjan

The European Union has announced a €3 million grant to support the revival of lagoon transport in Abidjan, as Côte d’Ivoire seeks to ease pressure on its roads and build a more integrated urban transport network.

The funding, equivalent to about 1.96 billion CFA francs, was announced by Transport and Maritime Affairs Minister Amadou Koné on Tuesday, October 20, during the opening of the second International Conference on Sustainable Mobility and Climate (CIMDC 2026) in Abidjan.

The proposed programme includes the construction of 13 lagoon stations and the acquisition of 25 water buses. However, the European funding is intended to support the preparation of the project, and the announcement does not establish a completion date for the planned infrastructure.

The initiative aims to make the Ébrié Lagoon a more important part of Greater Abidjan’s public transport system, alongside the metro, bus rapid transit (BRT) and conventional buses. Authorities want the different modes to operate as a connected network, making journeys easier for residents.

“Our ambition is to make these different projects components of a single system,” Koné said, according to the government’s account of the conference.

Abidjan’s lagoon network offers an alternative to road travel in a rapidly growing urban area where congestion remains a major mobility challenge. Expanding water transport could help diversify travel options, although the project’s impact will depend on implementation, service frequency, safety and connections with other transport systems.

The announcement came as Côte d’Ivoire hosted CIMDC 2026, bringing together public officials, transport operators and international partners to discuss sustainable urban mobility and climate financing. The conference ran from October 20 to 22.

The next step will be to turn the proposed programme into a fully developed and financed project, with a clear timetable for delivering the planned stations and water buses.